allegations Archives

AppWizard

June 6, 2025

Fill the Marathon-shaped hole in your life with Supplice, the best prog-heavy boomer shooter you’ve never heard of

Bungie's reboot of the classic FPS series Marathon was absent from the recent State Of Play showcase, facing scrutiny over allegations of aesthetic plagiarism. In contrast, the early access game Supplice, inspired by Marathon, features fast-paced gameplay, a robust shotgun, and labyrinthine levels. It includes exposition-filled terminals and a progressive metal soundtrack. The latest episode, titled 'An Anthem of Hammers', introduces new gameplay elements such as the heat-proof Lava Suit, five new enemy types, a new boss, and the Fission Dynamo weapon. Supplice is built on the GZDoom engine and aims for a total of six episodes, with the first four currently available for £8 on Steam. It is also offered in a discounted bundle with another title, Incision, for £13.

AppWizard

June 4, 2025

Meta found ‘covertly tracking’ Android users through Instagram and Facebook

Experts at Radboud University and IMDEA Networks found that Meta and Yandex have been covertly tracking Android users by monitoring browser activity without consent. This tracking was first identified in January and involves apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Yandex Maps operating in the background and loading scripts that transmit data back to their respective apps. These scripts bypass Android's security measures, allowing the companies to track users' web browsing activities. The tracking affects all major Android browsers, including incognito mode. Google confirmed that Meta and Yandex exploited Android's capabilities in violation of security and privacy principles. Meta is investigating the issue and has paused the feature, while Yandex claims to adhere to data protection standards. Meta's tracking has been ongoing for about eight months, while Yandex's practices date back to 2017. Facebook tracked users on around 16,000 websites in the EU, and Yandex was active on 1,300 sites. Google has begun implementing changes to address these tracking techniques and is conducting its own investigation. Browsers like Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and DuckDuckGo are also affected, with efforts underway to prevent future incidents.

AppWizard

May 29, 2025

Vietnam orders ban on Telegram messaging app over security concerns

Vietnam's telecommunications providers have been instructed to block access to Telegram due to national security concerns and alleged non-compliance with local laws. The Ministry of Information and Communications claims that 70% of Telegram channels in Vietnam are linked to illicit activities, including fraud and drug trafficking. Officials allege that Telegram has failed to remove illegal content and provide user data for investigations. A spokesperson for Telegram stated that the company had responded to legal requests from Vietnam. Vietnam has a history of enforcing strict online content controls, previously threatening to block Facebook and discussing a ban on TikTok. Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, was arrested in France earlier this year over allegations related to cybercrime and expressed his commitment to improving the platform's security in light of its rapid user growth to 950 million.

AppWizard

May 29, 2025

Ubisoft denies reports that Yves Guillemot has been summoned in upcoming trial

Ubisoft has denied claims that CEO Yves Guillemot was summoned to court in connection with a trial involving former executives, labeling the reports as "unfounded." The rumors originated from the French union Solidaires Informatique, which suggested that Guillemot, HR director Marie Derain, and Ubisoft as a corporate entity had received summonses related to allegations of sexual harassment and bullying against former executives. A Ubisoft representative confirmed via email that neither Guillemot, the HR team, nor the company is involved in the proceedings and stated their commitment to cooperate with authorities during the investigation.

AppWizard

May 29, 2025

Elon Musk’s xAI partners with messaging app Telegram in $300 million Grok deal

Elon Musk has launched xAI, aiming to uncover fundamental truths of the universe. The startup has partnered with Telegram, agreeing to a 0 million investment for the Grok AI chatbot. Telegram will receive the initial payment and 50% of revenue from xAI subscriptions sold through its platform. Telegram's CEO, Pavel Durov, mentioned that users can expect advanced AI technology by summer, although Musk later stated that "no deal has been signed." Telegram has over one billion monthly users as of 2025 and is preparing to raise at least .5 billion through a bond issue. Durov is under investigation in France for allowing criminal activities on Telegram and is restricted from leaving the country. xAI has merged with X, valuing the AI company at billion and the social media platform at billion. Grok faced criticism for generating controversial responses, which xAI attributed to an unauthorized modification. The company is working to improve Grok's transparency and reliability.

AppWizard

May 26, 2025

A Roblox farming game made by a teenager ‘in like three days’ had 8.9 million players online at the same time—Steam peaked at 11.5 million across all games on the same day

In 2025, the Roblox game "Grow a Garden" experienced a peak of nearly 9 million concurrent players, surpassing the previous record held by Player Unknown's Battlegrounds on Steam by almost threefold. The game reached a peak of 5 million concurrent users just a weekend prior to this achievement. It was developed by a teenage creator in three days and has gained significant popularity, with a player count that surpassed the population of New York City. Despite initial skepticism about player counts, investigations confirmed the game's genuine popularity, driven by strong user retention and community engagement. A Roblox spokesperson noted that the growth is attributed to an authentic community rather than artificial inflation.

AppWizard

May 24, 2025

Vietnam orders ban on popular messaging app Telegram

Vietnam's Ministry of Science and Technology has accused the messaging app Telegram of not cooperating in addressing criminal activities conducted by its users. The ministry has instructed internet service providers to restrict Telegram's operations in the country, citing that nearly 70 percent of the 9,600 channels on the app disseminate harmful information and engage in illegal activities such as selling user data and drug trafficking. A Telegram representative stated the company has been timely in addressing legal requests from Vietnam and is processing a recent request. Despite the government's actions, Telegram was still accessible in Vietnam as of Friday. In Vietnam, approximately 11.8 million users use Telegram, while the app has nearly one billion users globally.

AppWizard

May 24, 2025

Surprising: Telegram slams Vietnam’s decision to block messaging app

Vietnam's technology ministry has mandated telecom providers to restrict access to Telegram due to concerns about the app's failure to combat criminal activities and disseminate illegal content. A government document from May 21 instructed telecom companies to limit access, citing that 68 percent of the 9,600 Telegram channels and groups in Vietnam were linked to illegal activities such as fraud, drug trafficking, and potential terrorism. The ministry criticized Telegram for not cooperating with investigations, particularly regarding user data requests. Despite the directive, Telegram remained accessible in Vietnam as of the latest report. The situation is part of Vietnam's broader digital crackdown, which has included pressure on other platforms to remove content deemed harmful by the government. Telegram has previously faced scrutiny regarding its security and privacy practices.

AppWizard

May 24, 2025

Ubisoft CEO Guillemot to be summoned for trial involving former execs

The trial involving three former high-ranking executives at Ubisoft, including Serge Hascoët, Tommy François, and Guillaume Patrux, has been rescheduled to June 2nd due to delayed information from Ubisoft. CEO Yves Guillemot and HR director Marie Derain will testify, though they are not accused of direct involvement in the alleged sexual harassment and bullying. The trial aims to explore Ubisoft's broader responsibility in creating a workplace culture that allowed such behaviors to persist.

Winsage

May 22, 2025

Microsoft blocks emails that contain ‘Palestine’ after employee protests

Microsoft employees have discovered that emails containing specific terms related to Gaza and Palestine, such as “Palestine,” “Gaza,” and “Genocide,” are being blocked in the company's internal communication system. Variations of these terms, like “Israel” or “P4lestine,” do not face the same restrictions. The No Azure for Apartheid (NOAA) protest group claims this selective blocking is an attempt to suppress free speech among employees advocating for Palestinian rights, labeling it as censorship. Microsoft has acknowledged making adjustments to its email system to limit the circulation of “politically focused emails” and stated that emailing large numbers of employees about non-work-related topics is inappropriate. This situation has coincided with protests against Microsoft's contracts with the Israeli government, including disruptions during the Build developer conference.